Oil diverter and dilution system



July 1, 1952 G. H. GlLL OIL DIVERTER AND DILUTION SYSTEM Filed March QSnventor 650R A ERDEBT GILL.

attorney Patented July 1, 19 52 2,601,868 1 OIL DIVERTER AND DILUTI'ON SYSTEM George Herbert Gill, Los Angeles, Calif; assignor to The Garrett Corporation, Airesearch Manufacturing Company division, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 8, 1944, Serial No. 525,490 1 p This invention relates to lubricating systems for internal combustion engines, especially of the type used in aeronautical apparatus, and is specifically concerned with the conditioning of the lubricating oil so that adequate and efficient lubrication for the engine may be provided at all times and ready starting in cold weather is facilitated.

It is an object of the-invention to render the lubricating oil, which has become viscid and dimcultly movable because of cold weather, readily fluid and easy of circulation, thereby to enable the engine to start without delay. i

It is a further object of the invention to control the viscosity of the lubricating oil in the engine to a point where it will most effectively lubricate the engine, and to maintain the oil in such condition as temperature changes are encountered. It is still a further object of the invention to provide a simple and effic'ient means in which the lubricating oil is maintained constantly in a condition of desirable viscosity in an automatic manner by heat and bydilution, where necessary, due to extreme cold. l l 1 It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple arrangement for diluting the oil in the circulation system of the'eng'ine andcnly a portion of the oil in the source-of oil supply to the end that the oil maybe reduced in viscosity Within a short period or time, thereby affording effective lubrication when making a cold start of the engine.

These and other objectswill appear from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. i i i Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a lubri-' eating system which incorporates my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a valve means. i Fig. 3 is a plan section, taken on the line 3-1-3 of Fig. 2. i i 1 In a generalsense, my invention includes a valve means selectively operable-to control a flow of Warm orhot oil throughthe restricted area of a reservoir of oil, the viscosity of which is high, owing:to cold, thereby to effect a transfer of heat from said warm or hot oil to the cold oil, the valve means causing; all the oil to flow to said reservoir and bypass the restricted area therein when all the oil is heated. In this way a small portion of the oil may be heated by and circulated through theengine until the major portion of the oil is reduced in viscosity to fa degree equal to that of, the small portion,

An oil circulating system is illustrated in Fig. 1 in connection with an, engine and includes-a pump ID in a line H between the engine 12 and asource of oil supply 13 for delivering oil to the engine under pressure; a pumpllin-aline I5 forwithdra'wing the oil from the engine and, re-

7 Claims. (Cl. 137-110) a compartment I1.

turning it to the source of supply, and a heat exchanger 9 of approved type. The source l3 of oil supply is shown as a reservoir in which the oil is-received through the line 15. The reservoir l3 has an oil receiving chamber I6 and Above the reservoir is a chamber l8, which is in communication with the oil line l5 at its upper part, andat its lower part is in communication with the compartment H and the oil receiving chamber IS. The compartment H, which may be in the form of a hopper orvertical tube, extends in and to within a short distance from the bottom of the reservoir, and the open end thereof is disposed preferably immediately over the outlet l3 in the reservoir,

which outlet leads to the line H through which the oil is withdrawn from the reservoir for circulation through the engine l2. Said compartment or tube H has desirably a pluralityof holes IS in the lower part thereof, and provides a path of travel for the oil, which path is restricted in cross-sectional area relation to the cross-sectional area'of the reservoir and is isolated therefrom, the purpose of such isolation being to circulate and recirculate the warm oil to the engine through this restricted path until .a desired degree of temperature of the oil is reached. The circulation of oil through the compartment or tube 11 causes the heat therefrom conductively and convectively to be transferred gradually to the cold or viscous oil in the chamber I6, part of which oil is gradually'entrained with the warm oil circulating through the compartment I1. When the oil entering the oil inlet or chamber [8 through the line i5 is heated to a desirable temperature, its travel through the compartment or tube I1 is diverted to the main body of oil in the chamber I6, which thereupon courses through the circulation system, heretofore set out. Means for efiecting this diversion of oil includes the inlet chamber l8 intowhich the oil is received from the line [5, and which, as stated, communicates with the chamber 16 and the compartment or tube ll. The inlet chamber [8 is provided with a plurality of openings 20 and 20 arranged for communication respectively withsaid compartment or tube l1 and chamber l6, such communication being controlled by the valve members 2| and 22, which are mounted on a core 23 of a solenoid 24, the'armature of which is suitably supported within said chamber I8.

The solenoid 24 is in an electric jcircuit.25 which'includes a source of energy, as a battery 0. a main switch 26 and contact 26", a secondary switch and contact 2'I'-. Also included in said circuit 25 is a switch 28, which is normally, held closed orin engagement with a contact 29 in the circuit; 251W a spring 3|]. When the circuit is closedqby the actuation of the switches 26 and 21, the solenoid 24 is energized and the core,

as shown by the solid lines in Fig. land dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thereby the oil entering the chamber 18 is caused to pass through said outlet directly into the compartment or tube [1, and thence into the line H leading to the engine. In this way warm oil from the engine is continuously recirculated to the engine. The heat of the warm oil increases during the period of circulation through the tube I1 and transfers a portion of its heat to the cold or viscous oil in the chamber i6, as a result of which the oil in the chamber is gradually entrained with the circulating oil, until all or the major portion of the oil reaches a desired temperature. At such time, the circuit is interrupted, as explained hereinafter, which causes the solenoid 24 to be deenergized, Under the influence of a spring 3! thecore 23 is operated to cause the valve member 2| thereof to close the outlet 26in the chamber I 8 and the valve member 22 to open the outlet 20' therein, whereby the oil entering the chamber I8 through the line [5 passes directly into the chamber [6 while circumventing the tube ll. Means for interrupting the circuit 25 includes a temperature influenced elementv or member 32 suitably positioned, as in a pocket 32', projecting into the chamber 13 so as to be affected by the temperature of the oil passing through the chamber l8 and disposed in operative relation to said aforementioned switch 28, whereby when said element or member 32 is caused to expand under heat influence, it

moves the switch 28 away from the contact 29.

Cooling of the oil will cause the thermal element 32 to contract, thereby enabling the spring to engage the contact 29 and complete the circuit.

Under certain circumstances, as when starting of the engine is difiicult on account of a highly viscous condition of the oil, it is desirable toreduce the oil viscosity by addingfa diluent or introducing'a diluent into the circulation system. and confining the dilution only to that of the oil inl th' tube or hopper ll. For this purpose, a suitable dilution agent is derived from a suitable sourcethrough a line 33, and transmitted through a line. 34 connected to the line I I, by a motor and pump 35; The motoris ina second electric circuit 40, which is operated when the manually controlled switch 21 having a second arm 3'! coupled to it by the insulating membertfi, is thrown in engagement with the contact 4| This circuit 49 includes the source of energy or battery a, the solenoid 24 and the switch 28. By the closing of the switches 21 and 31, the solenoid 24 is energized through the contact 4|, wire 39, contact A l and wire it, to unseat the valve member 2|, thereby establishing direct communication between the chamber 18 and the compartment I'Land seating the companion valve member 22, whereby all of the oil entering through the line I5 is caused to'travel from the chamber I8 to the compartment ll. motor Stand. the pump, being now in a closed circuit, are set in motion to deliver a diluent to the line- I I, which, under the action of the pump HLIis caused to .circulate through the engine I2, wherein :a dilution of the viscous oil occurs. By the'pump l the diluted'mixture is returnedto the oil inlet it, from which it passes in the hopper ortube J1, and thence back into the circulation line.- In this manner only the oil in the system mediately for lubrication of the engine.

When no further need exists for diluting the oil, the switches 2'! and 31 are opened and the motor and pump 35 are thus cut out of the circuit, the switch 21, returning to the contact 21', then reestablishing the circuit to the solenoid 24 through the temperature sensitive switch 28. If the switch 28 v, is closed, the oil continues to discharge into the compartment [1. The normal procedure is to stop the engine [2 when the dilution switch 21 is turned off, thus stopping the pumps Ill and Id. The diluted oil remains in the compartment l1, lines II and I5, engine l2, and heat exchanger 9. When the engine is started again, the diluted oil is immediately available in the system, and as soon as the engine is turned on, the solenoid 24 is energized to keep the diluted oil flowing into the hopper 11. This action continues until the temperature rises to operate the temperature sensitive switch 28, as explained previously. When the engine is started, it is not always desirable or necessary to have the dilution motor 35 operate; therefore the switch 31 is incorporated.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: means defining a main storage compartment, a warm upcompartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of ports affording communication between said inlet compartment and said main and warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compartment, and an outlet through which the oil may leave the reservoir directly from either said main or warm up compartment; valve means in said inlet compartment, selectively operable to open one of said ports while closing the other and vice versa, whereby the inlet flow may be directed selectively either to said warm up compartment or said main compartment from said inlet compartment; and thermo-responsive means for operat. ing said valve means positioned to be influenced by the temperature of the oil flowing through said inlet compartment.

2. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

Simultaneously, the

means defining a main storage compartmenta warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of ports affording communication between said inlet compartment and said main and warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compartment, and an outlet through which the oil may leave the reservoir from either said main or warm up compartment, said ports being coaxially arranged; a solenoid in said inlet compartment between said ports and coaxial therewith, said solenoid having an armature shiftable, along the axis of said ports; a pair of valve elements carried by the respective ends of said armature and adapted to coact with the respective ports so as to close one of the ports while'opening the other and vice versa; and thermo-responsive means for controlling the energization and deenergization of said solenoid, said thermo-responsive means be.- ing so located as to be influenced by the temper? ature of the oil flowing through said inlet cham ber in such a manner as to direct the flow through and that in: the compartment or hopper fl is diluted, and the diluted 011 made available'imsaid warm up compartment'when the temperature of the oil is below a predetermined value and to direct the oil through said main storage compartment when the temperature is above said predetennined value. V.

3. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: means defining a main storage compartment, a warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of ports afiording communication between said'inlet compartment and said main and warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compartment, and an outlet through which the oil may leave the reservoir from either said main or warm up compartment, said ports being coaxially arranged; a solenoid disposed in said inlet compartment between said ports and coaxial therewith, said solenoid having an armature shiftable along the axis of said ports; a pair of valve elements carried by the respective ends of said armature and adapted to cooperate with said ports so as to close one of them while opening the other and vice versa; means yieldingly biasing said armature toward a position wherein said valve elements direct the flow from said inlet compartment through said main storage compartment; and means located so as to be responsive to the temperature of the oil at a selected point in the system for energizing said solenoid to reverse the position of said valves against the resistance of said yielding means and thereby direct the flow through said warm up compartment when the temperature of the oil is below a predetermined minimum.

4. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine comprising: means defining a main storage compartment, a warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of axially opposed ports affording communication between said inlet compartment and said main and warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compartment, and an outlet through which oil may leave the reservoir directly from either said main or warm up compartments; valve means in said inlet compartment comprising a solenoid coaxially arranged between said ports, an armature for said solenoid shiftable along the axis of said ports, and a pair of valve elements carried by the respective ends of said armature and cooperating with the respective ports, said valve means being selectively operable to open one of said ports while closing the other and vice versa, whereby the inlet flow may be directed selectively either to said warm up compartment or to said main compartment from said inlet compartment; and thermo-responsive means for operating said valve means, said thermo-responsive means being positioned to be influenced by the temperature of the oil flowing through said inlet compartment.

5. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: means, including walls, defining a main storage compartment, a warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, one wall of said inlet compartment having a recess formed therein, a pair of ports afiording communication between said inlet comin the recess provided in said wall of the inlet compartment for operating said valve means.

6. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: means defining a main storage compartment, a warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of axially opposed ports affording communication between said inlet compartment and said main and warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compartment, and an outlet through which oil may leave the reservoir directly from either said main or warm up compartments; and valve means in said inlet compartment comprising a solenoid coaxially arranged between said ports, an armature for said solenoid shifta'ble along the axis of said ports, and a pair of valve elements carried by the respective ends of said armature and cooperating with the respective ports, said valve means being selectively operable to operi one of said ports while closing the other and vice versa, whereby the inlet flow may be directed selectively either to said warm up compartment or to said main compartment from said inlet compartment.

7. An oil reservoir for the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine, comprising: means defining a main storage compartment, a warm up compartment, an inlet compartment, a pair of opposed ports afiordin-g communication between said inlet compartment and said main and Warm up compartments respectively, an inlet for delivering oil into said inlet compart ment, and an outlet through which the oil may leave the reservoir directly from either said main or warm up compartments; valve means including a solenoid, an armature for said solenoid, and a pair of valve elements carried by said armature and arranged to cooperate with the respective ports, said valve means being selectively operable to open one of said ports while closing the other and vice versa, whereby the inlet flow may be directed selectively either to said warm up compartment or said main compartment from said inlet compartment, and thermo-responsive means for controlling the operation of said valve means, said thermo-responsive means being positioned so as to be influenced by the temperature of the oil flowing through said inlet compartment.

GEORGE HERBERT GILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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